Foldable seat



A. w. ROWE v 2,100,979

FOLDABLE SEAT Nov; 30, 1937.

Filed Sept l7, l935 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1m i F15.

A. W. ROWE FOLDABLE SEAT Nov. 30, 1937.

Filed Sept. 17,1935 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

, ILEA'M/f'OW';

W A ORNEY.

Nov. 30, 1937.

A. w. ROWE 2,100,979

FOLDABLE SEAT Filed Sept. 17, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR. 14415 I44 I80 WE.

7' ORNEY.

Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCEm FOLDABLE SEAT Allen W. Rowe, Binghamton, N. Y.

Application September 17, 1935, Serial No. 40,914

2 Claims.

My invention relates to foldable seats, chairs and the like made from stamped out cardboard and like stiff foldable material.

The principal object of my invention lies in the provision of a seat device formed by folding a stamped, out and scored sheet of material, such as heavy cardboard, whereby such devices may be provided with maximum economy.

Another object of my invention lies in the provision of such a seat which may be transported and sold in fiat form and which requires but a moments time to fold to operative seat condition.

A further object of my invention lies in the 5 provision of a novel arrangement of scoring and cutting a fiat sheet of cardboard or like material whereby the seat when formed and folded to seat arrangement provides a rigid, well reinforced seat or chair capable of sustaining heavy loads.

Although I have shown and will describe my invention as made of heavy cardboard, because of its cheapness and its adaptability for this pur pose, I wish it understood that other like materials may be substituted without departing from my invention.

Another object of my invention lies in providing an auxiliary strengthening and reinforcing means for the folded seat whereby to increase its weight capacity.

Still another object lies in the provision of a modified folding of the form whereby to render the device adaptable as a toilet seat.

My invention is particularly directed to a seat for children but is not in any sense a toy. The particular size of the device is optional. Because of the inexpensiveness of the device and its practicability it is especially useful as an advertising device to be given away as a premium in connection with the sale of merchandise.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the description proceeds reference now being had to the figures of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the seat formed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a front view of the seat, certain parts being broken away for clearness of illustration.

Figure 3 is a side view of the formed seat.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the formed seat taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the seat in its partially folded or formed position showing the cuts and scorings provided.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the blank cutand scored in accordance with my invention.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a modified seat formed as a toilet seat.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of the toilet seat attachment.

Figure 10 is a bottom plan view of the formed seat showing the use of the reinforcing attachment.

Figure 11 is a detailed perspective View of the reinforcing attachment.

Referring now particularly to Figure 6, of the drawings, reference character A refers generally to a flat piece of heavy cardboard or like material, preferably rectangular in shapeand pro,- vided with the cuts I, 2 and 3 extending inwardly from one side edge of the blank as shown. These cuts I, 2 and 3 are fairly open so as to permit ready folding of the material between the same.

The blank A is also scored as at 4, 5, 6, l, 8, 9, I9, and II whereby the blank may be readily folded along such scored lines. The cuts and scorings just referred to obviously divide the blank into sections I2, I3, I4, I5, I6, I1, I8, I9, and 29.

The section I2 is slitted inwardly for short distances as at 2I and 2m and scored as at 22 and 2201., the scoring intersecting the inner end of the slit 2| and 2Ia thus providing flaps 23.

The section I8 is likewise slitted inwardly adjacent cuts 2 and 3, as at 24 and 24a and scored from the inner ends of such slits to the edges of the section as at 25 and 25a to provide the flaps 26. The purpose of these flaps will appear as'the description proceeds.

In folding the sections thus formed by the cuts and scorings to provide a seat such as shown in Figure 1, the sections I2 and I3 are together bent at right angles to sections l4, I5 and I6 along the cut and scoring 5. That portion of the blank comprising sections I1, I8, I9 and 29 is then bent at right angles to sections I4, I5 and I6 along the out 2 and scoring 8 and in parallel position with the sections I2 and I3. Sections I9 and 20 are then together bent along the cut 3 and scoring I9 at right angles to sections I! and I8 to bring the outer edges of sections I9 and 20 into engagement with the outer edges of sections I2 and I3. With the sections bent in this position, a suitable fastening means such as a strong adhesive tape or the like is applied to the meeting edges of sections I2, I3 and sections I9, 20. This fastening material extends from a point in substantial alignment with scoring 4 to the bottom edge of the sections in their bent positions as shown clearly in Figures 3 and 4. The binding material or other fastening means is indicated by the reference character 21.

Next the section I9 is bent downwardly along the scoring II to lie flat and against the section 20, thus reinforcing the back portion of the seat.

Next section I2 is bent downwardly along the scoring line 4 to lie alongside and in contact with section I3 as shown clearly in Figure 4. The flaps 23 are bent at an angle along the scoring lines 22 and 22a also as shown clearly in Figure 4. Similarly section I8 is now bent downwardly along the scoring 9 parallel to and in contact with section I1 and the flaps 25 bent along the scorings 25 and 25a as shown clearly in Figure 4. These sections I2I3 and "-48 thus form the side members of the seat.

The section I4 is bent along the scoring I alongside and in contact with section I5, and sec tion I with section I4 is then bent over along the scoring line 6 at right angles to section IE to form the supporting seat of the device, resting upon and supported by the upper edges of the flaps 23 and 26.

Thus there is provided out of a single piece of material cut and scored as shown in Figure 6, and with the addition merely of a fastening means for the meeting edges for the ends of the blank, a serviceable, strong, substantial seat or chair device such as is shown clearly in Figure 1, and provided with a back, sides and supporting seat. The cuts I and 2, extending beyond the scoring lines 4 and 9, make possible the sides serving as arm rests below the top of the back.

If additional reinforcement is desired, an extra cardboard attachment such as is shown in Figure 11 and constituting merely two slotted pieces 28 and 29, slotted in a conventional manner as at 33 to fasten the two pieces together, and each piece being bent centrally as at 3! to provide an adjustable accordion effect, may be inserted beneath the seat I4I5 as shown clearly in Figure In such case the flaps 23 and 22 are left unbent and lie alongside the sections I3 and I! in parallel relation, the same as sections I2 and In Figures 7, 8 and 9 I have shown a slight modification of the seat and in which it will be noted that the seat sections i l and I5 instead of extending at right angles to the front section I6, are folded downwardly alongside and parallel with section I6 as shown in Figure 8. An auxiliary seat 32 of wood or other suitable material of a size to replace the folded down supporting seat sections I l-I5 is inserted. The auxiliary seat 32 may be provided with the opening 33 and adjacent the front edge of this seat 32 and on the underside thereof is provided a rib 34 adapted to engage with the upper folded edge of the sections I4, I5 and I6, whereby to hold the seat in position.

This auxiliary seat is supported either upon the flaps 23 and 26 or upon the reinforcing attachment 28-29, shown in Figure 11.

Thus there is provided by simple auxiliary attachment a means of converting the seat into a toilet seat for children.

It will be understood also that the particular design and shape of theseat or chair formed in the manner herein described may vary considerably by varying the shape of the blank from which it is formed. Obviously curved sides or other designs of the chair seat might be provided. Also, if desired, additional fastening or binding means may be employed to secure the folded sections together. I do not wish to be limited to the particular shape and style shown and described herein.

Many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not limit myself, therefore, to the exact form herein shown and described other than by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A seat formed of cardboard or the like, com prising a single blank of material provided with a plurality of cuts and scorings to form back, side, front and seat sections, said sections being bent along said cuts and scorings, said side sections having flaps adapted to be bent to underlie and to support said seat section, flaps extending downwardly to the supporting surface for said seat thereby to form a double wall and means for securing said sections in their bent positions in seat form.

2. A seat formed of cardboard or the like, comprising a single blank of material provided with a plurality of cuts and scorings to form back, side, front and seat sections, said sections being bent along said cuts and scorings, said side sections having flaps adapted to be bent to underlie and to support said seat section, and means for securing said sections in their bent positions in seat form, said seat section being selectively foldable adjacent said front section, and an auxiliary seat member adapted to be supported upon the upper edge of said front section and said flaps, said auxiliary seat having a rib on the underside thereof for engaging the folded seat section for retaining the auxiliary seat in position.

ALLEN W. ROWE. 

